Ask a Stoner: If I Create a New Strain, Can I Name It Anything?

Dear Stoner: If I breed a new strain from a male and female plant, can I name it whatever I want? Is there any sort of convention to follow?
Bob the Breeder

Dear Bob: You are free to name it whatever you come up with — no matter how stupid that name may be. (Pussy Kush, anyone?) There's no convention, though combining parts of the names of the parent strains is a common way to go about it. Blue Cheese, for example, is a cross of Blue Dream and U.K. Cheese.

Dear Stoner: I was just released from the hospital with an aneurysm in my groin. They gave me oxycodone, but it's too strong for me. I was wondering if smoking a little pot would relieve me in terms of pain and my appetite.
Vegas Jimmy

Dear Jimmy: Pain meds are no joke; they can cause as much discomfort as they help mask. I was given Percocet after surgery a few months ago and found myself in the same boat: too high from the pills and no appetite. Pot helped, though for me it doesn't so much kill the pain as it does allow me to ignore it. But that's all pain pills seem to do too — and pot is much more comfortable and manageable. I relied on some heavy Kush varieties such as Skywalker OG and Bubba Kush to help manage the pain without sending my head into the stratosphere. For appetite, sativas usually work best for me; mixing in a bowl of Sour Diesel or 707 Headband every now and then got me hungry enough to put back some of the pounds I'd lost during surgery. But don't ignore your pain or suffer needlessly: If the pot doesn't work out, ask your doctor to prescribe a pain med that isn't as strong (or addictive) as oxycodone.